LoL Grind Down: NA - Saturday, July 30th
Welcome to the RotoGrinders League of Legends Grind Down. In this all-encompassing preview of the upcoming LCS action, every game will be broken down statistically, with several key elements highlighted in our charts.
We provide Defense versus Position data for each team, along with the RotoGrinders original stat, Pace. Every game is also broken down, providing an overview of the game and a selection of players to consider from each match.
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Counter Logic Gaming vs. NRG
| Counter Logic Gaming | NRG | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | -800 |  | Vegas Sprd | +450 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 12.4 | Avg. Pts. | 9.5 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 16.9 | Avg. Pts./W | 17.7 | |||||||||
| FB% | 47% | FB% | 53% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Darshan | Xmithie | HuHi | Aphromoo | Stixxay | Players | Quas | Santorin | GBM | KiWiKiD | Ohq | |
| Opp. Season | 16.85% | 29.95% | 23.37% | 25.60% | 25.53% | Opp. Season | 10.84% | 9.30% | 8.76% | 17.09% | 9.52% | |
CLG’s continued mediocrity seems like it’s never going to come to an end this season. Thankfully for Darshan and friends, mediocre trumps what NRG has to offer. Speaking of Darshan, he has become one of the most overrated players in either region of LCS. Without major improvement or even a replacement ahead of 2017, he could be one of the reasons that sees CLG struggle next year or at Worlds, should they indeed qualify. Even if CLG makes a run in the upcoming playoffs, their downfalls must not be forgotten when we arrive at Worlds later this year. As far as NRG goes, they look destined to be relegated. They’ve fallen below even P1 in ability at this point and will struggle to beat either Liquid or C9’s academy teams in the relegation tournament. Shaq’s connection to the LCS may not last much longer. In this match, picking NRG players is a tough sell. Even in an upset, the upside for fantasy is limited with these two teams.
Counter Logic Gaming
Elite Plays
Xmithie (DK $6,800, AD $7,600) – Xmithie isn’t an elite player, but he’s about as elite as it comes for fantasy on a team which just isn’t built for big fantasy performances. Xmithie’s 73% KP is by far the highest on CLG, who depend on his movement while Darshan toils away in the top lane.
Secondary Plays
Stixxay (DK $7,800, AD $7,800) – Nearly even with Huhi statistically, Stixxay hasn’t been fed like he was earlier in the year. Still, I’ll take the guy laning with Aphromoo rather than Huhi against GBM, who can still make magic happen.
NRG
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
None.
Apex vs. Team Liquid
| Apex | Team Liquid | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | +275 |  | Vegas Sprd | -400 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 13.0 | Avg. Pts. | 12.4 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 20.9 | Avg. Pts./W | 17.7 | |||||||||
| FB% | 49% | FB% | 57% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Ray | Shrimp | Keane | Xpecial | Apollo | Players | Lourlo | Dardoch | FeniX | Matt | Piglet | |
| Opp. Season | -23.44% | -22.00% | -21.10% | -20.76% | -13.81% | Opp. Season | 21.55% | 15.20% | 11.79% | 6.59% | 11.05% | |
Liquid has been coming into their best form recently and it’s just in time to appease the community with another 4th place finish. Apex have a chance to throw a wrench into that and have to if they want a shot at making the playoffs. It’s tough to see it happening. This is the time of the year where the top teams are peaking and the non-playoff teams know their season is over. The Apex organization should be happy with this season though. Regardless of this weekend’s results, they look primed to remain in the LCS in 2017, or at the very least to book a tidy profit should they decide to bow out. It does seem more likely that they would indeed sell their place in this volatile league, but I’m hoping they bolster their roster and stick around. We need teams who are willing to spend for great players and risk the monetary loss of relegation.
As for these matches, Liquid are just too good and I’m expecting a competitive, but relatively easy win. Apex are more worth a consideration than NRG though, as Liquid do love to fight and Apex aren’t incapable of stealing a game here.
Apex
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
Keane (DK $6,400, AD $7,700) – Keane has been a genuine bright spot for Apex this season and should be back in the LCS next season regardless of what happens with the organization. He’s this team’s big gun and is an option against any team other than TSM or Immortals.
Team Liquid
Elite Plays
Dardoch (DK $6,500, AD $8,000) – The discount that DraftKings is offering us on Dardoch is almost too good to be true. Even at $8,000 on AlphaDraft, he’s still elite. That should tell you how easy it is to put Dardoch in your lineup on the former.
Secondary Plays
Lourlo (DK $6,700, AD $7,700) – Lourlo has been one of my surprises of the season. He hasn’t turned into Huni just yet, but is now a legitimate threat in any role out of the top lane, even after his mediocre Spring Split.
Cloud9 vs. Echo Fox
| Cloud9 | Echo Fox | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | -1400 |  | Vegas Sprd | +800 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 13.2 | Avg. Pts. | 9.2 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 17.7 | Avg. Pts./W | 18.0 | |||||||||
| FB% | 51% | FB% | 33% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Impact | Meteos | Jensen | Bunny Fufu | Sneaky | Players | kfo | Hard | Froggen | Big | Keith | |
| Opp. Season | 4.61% | 3.14% | 1.77% | -2.52% | 3.37% | Opp. Season | -3.38% | -12.57% | -4.76% | -11.41% | -4.13% | |
Just two more series remaining until you can go back to ignoring Echo Fox’s existence. They’ve been one of the worst LCS teams of all time and even an upset over C9 here wouldn’t change that. Now, against C9 though, opposing teams have had a history of putting up strong fantasy performances even in losses. C9 have been better in that respect this split now that Hai is playing in the Challenger Series. They’re still one of the most aggressive teams in the LCS of course and should be targetted for and against as such. That said, against weak opponents like Echo Fox, they have shown improved ability to control the play and limit their opponent’s kill count. For me, that makes Echo Fox largely a fade.
Cloud9
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
Jensen (AD $8,100) – I’m partially on the fade C9 train as well, particularly on DraftKings. Over at AD, Jensen is the third highest priced mid laner and is too dangerous to ignore at that price against a weak opponent.
Echo Fox
Elite Plays
None.
Secondary Plays
Froggen (DK $5,500, AD $7,400) – A total punt and the only player on Echo Fox worth any real consideration. He leads his team in KP and kills and has the ability to pay off his salary in all but the worst of stomps.
Phoenix1 vs. Immortals
| Phoenix1 | Immortals | |||||||||||
 | Vegas Sprd | +650 |  | Vegas Sprd | -1400 | |||||||
| Avg. Pts. | 10.0 | Avg. Pts. | 15.0 | |||||||||
| Avg. Pts./W | 18.8 | Avg. Pts./W | 16.6 | |||||||||
| FB% | 59% | FB% | 46% | |||||||||
| Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | Matchup – Opponent DvP Ranks | |||||||||||
| DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | DvP Rks | Top | Jng | Mid | Supp | ADC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Zig | Zentinel | Slooshi | Gate | Mash | Players | Huni | Reignover | Pobelter | Adrian | WildTurtle | |
| Opp. Season | -23.28% | -31.47% | -19.53% | -26.25% | -26.72% | Opp. Season | 24.75% | 35.61% | 15.05% | 27.75% | 22.72% | |
Is this a possible tilt loss by Immortals? I think so. After Friday’s loss to TSM, the door is open to P1 here. This match means very little to Immortals, who are now locked into the 2 seed for the LCS playoffs. P1 however, remain in a seeding fight with NRG as of this writing and would greatly prefer to finish in 8th, rather than in 9th. The talent, team and overall ability gap between these two teams is obvious. If this was a best of five playoff series, P1 likely sees defeat 3-0. It’s not though, and if we’re going to find upsets, we have to look at all the angles. I certainly can’t project a P1 win here and our official RotoGrinders projections are very high on Immortals players, as it should be. I can say that I see the opportunity for something unexpected to happen here.
Who do we roster from this game if something like that does happen? Almost anyone. P1 did make a substitution on Friday with Brandini in over Zig, so do monitor that. Everyone else is fair game and even if P1 do lose as most would assume, they have flashed enough team fighting prowess lately to score some points against the aggressive styles of players like Huni. This could end up being the most fun series of the day, even if it’s also the least important one.
Phoenix1
Elite Plays
Inori (DK $4,900, AD $7,100) – On price alone, Inori is borderline elite on this slate. Factoring in Immortals willingness to die and my belief in P1 having a legitimate chance of winning, he’s absolutely an elite play on Saturday.
Secondary Plays
Mash (DK $5,900, AD $7,400) – The P1 jungler is my only elite play from the team, but a carry has to be considered for your lineups as well. The upside with Mash here is among the highest of all players, and likely at low ownership.
Immortals
Elite Plays
Huni (DK $7,200, AD $8,000) – Huni is regularly the highest upside top laner and this series is no different. Earlier in the season, I’d have avoided using Immortals players against P1. As they’ve improved though, opponents now have both higher floors as well as higher ceilings.
Secondary Plays
Reignover (DK $7,100, AD $8,100) – I do prefer Dardoch, especially on DraftKings where his price is quite a bit lower than RO’s. None the less, he’s an elite option and P1’s worst performances throughout the season have come against junglers.
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